Story perspectives

Colossal Biosciences targets reviving extinct bluebuck antelope via DNA editing

5/2/2026

Summary

Colossal Revives Bluebuck

Colossal Biosciences aims to revive the bluebuck antelope, extinct since 1800, by editing DNA of its relative, the roan antelope.
Genome engineer Scott Barish said the team reduced 3 million variants to 2.4 million regions and then to about 20 000 key phenotypes.
CEO Ben Lamm warned that producing a bluebuck calf solves half the problem and that project will need cooperation from governments, conservation groups and regulators for protection in southern Africa.

Summary

Colossal Reintroduces Bluebuck

Colossal CEO Ben Lamm said the ethics debate sometimes functions as a way to avoid a harder conversation about current conservation shortcomings.
Colossal is working with the Endangered Wildlife Trust to identify South African grassland sites where reintroduced bluebucks could eventually live.
DNA for the bluebuck project was extracted from a mounted skin held by the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.

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Colossal Revives Bluebuck

Colossal Biosciences aims to revive the bluebuck antelope, extinct since 1800, by editing DNA of its relative, the roan antelope.
Genome engineer Scott Barish said the team reduced 3 million variants to 2.4 million regions and then to about 20 000 key phenotypes.
CEO Ben Lamm warned that producing a bluebuck calf solves half the problem and that project will need cooperation from governments, conservation groups and regulators for protection in southern Africa.

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